1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for processing vector graphic files.
2. Background
In the area of aerospace and defense, product life cycles may span up to thirty years. Many thousands of files contain graphic representations of data for different products and are currently in a vector graphics format. Vector graphics involves the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and polygons to represent images. A primitive is the simplest default geometrical figure or shape.
Initiatives are present in aerospace and defense industries to create electronic drawings that contain intelligent graphics. Intelligent graphics associate text data and graphics data in a manner that increases user understanding. Text data may present precise detailed information, that sequential and special information may be more easily understood by the graphics. Intelligent graphics may be used to enhance the graphic content in various electronic technical manuals and in automated generation of illustrations and updates.
For example, the usability of drawings in wiring manuals for an aircraft is currently very low with currently available diagrams. By adding intelligent functions to drawings, such as lighted wiring runs and direct links to and from wiring lists, the usability of these types of manuals are increased.
Intelligent graphics files use intelligent graphics objects within the different illustrations for different products. For example, a drawing in the form of a schematic diagram for a hydraulics system may include intelligent graphics objects that may show valve movement and fluid flow in which the flow may be visualized from the schematic when the user selects certain components. In these examples, the intelligent graphics objects are used in conjunction with vector graphics data for the hydraulics system. The vector graphics data provide the static illustration of the hydraulics system. The intelligent graphics objects add animation, color, or other information used to show the valve movement and fluid flow in this system.
Further, the flow may be shown across different diagrams. In a similar fashion, signal paths may be shown across various wiring diagrams. In other examples, intelligent graphics objects may be added to provide links from illustrated components to information on supplier part numbers, ordering tools, or animated sequences may be provided through intelligent graphics.
In creating drawings with intelligent graphic objects, it is desirable to reuse currently existing vector graphics files and add intelligent objects to those files. Although new programs are being developed that allow for the embedding of intelligent graphic objects to provide intelligent graphics for various drawings, large amounts of legacy graphics files are present. These legacy graphics files may include vector graphics files and master graphics files.
Importing vector graphics files and adding intelligent objects may be automated. In importing these files, however, it is important to ensure that the import process does not change the vector graphics data for the drawing in any unintended manner. Currently, the legacy vector graphics files are compared by hand. This type of method is labor intensive and error prone. Often times, every drawing cannot be compared and only spot checks are made.
Furthermore, the need to compare versions of vector files also exists outside the realm of intelligent graphics. Whenever a new release of drawings for a product occurs, it is important to ensure that only intended changes have been applied to those drawings that should have changed and that the remainder of the drawings have not changed at all.
Another relevant situation involves a new release of illustration software that exports data in the form of vector graphics. In this situation, it is important to ensure that, for existing data, the new export filter in the new release generates vector files that are correct when compared against the output of the previous filter used in an older version of the illustrating software.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have an improved computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for avoiding issues as described above.